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SLP Coffee Talk
A speech and language podcast to motivate and inspire school-based SLPs. Get the tips, strategies, and low-prep therapy ideas you need to confidently walk into your therapy room and plan with ease. Learn and hear stories from an SLP in the trenches just like you!
SLP Coffee Talk
Remembering Your Why for Grad Students & Beyond
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In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Cary—school SLP, private practice clinician, and creator of the SLP Grad Student Instagram page—about finding your why and holding onto it when things get hard. Cary gets honest about the rejection letters, Praxis failures, and imposter syndrome she pushed through on her way to the field, and shares what the CF year really feels like when you're suddenly on your own. This one's for any SLP questioning whether they belong here.
Bullet Points to Discuss:
- How a career aptitude test and a sister's nudge pointed Cary toward speech pathology
- What the transition from grad student to CF actually feels like
- Why failure in the Praxis isn't talked about—and why it should be
- How Cary survived grad school time management
- What imposter syndrome looks like five years in—and how she pushes through it
- Why she chose her specific field and what community means to her
Here’s what we learned:
- Rejection is redirection. Failing the Praxis shows you exactly where your gaps are—use it.
- Overstudying isn't productive. Nine to three, then put it down.
- If you don't know something, say so. People appreciate honesty over an answer that doesn't make sense.
- Imposter syndrome doesn't expire after your CF. Five years in, it still shows up. Push through anyway.
- Give yourself grace. A kid walking into your session and smiling counts as a win.
Learn more about Cary Mercado:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slpgradstudent/
Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:
📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/
🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup
📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book
Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets